1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for storing and dispensing liquid contents therefrom. More particularly, the present invention is for a container for storing and dispensing liquid contents therefrom, wherein leakage of the liquid contents from the container is inhibited.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well-known in the prior art to provide a container for storing and dispensing liquid contents therefrom. Containers typical of those found in the prior art include a bottle and a cap, wherein the bottle is provided with a neck portion having a dispensing opening therein, and wherein the cap is engageable with the bottle neck portion to prevent spillage of the liquid contents therefrom. However, leakage may nevertheless occur where the cap is not sealingly engaged on the bottle neck portion at all locations.
For example, the cap and the bottle neck portion may be provided with engaging threads by which an open, upper annular end of the bottle neck portion is brought into tight abutting relationship with an underside sealing surface of the cap. However, the molding process by which both the cap and the bottle are typically formed oftentimes results in large tolerances between the dimensions of their respective mating parts. Thus, leakage oftentimes occurs notwithstanding the desired sealing engagement between the cap and the bottle neck portion.
A flexible gasket or liner is oftentimes adhered to the underside surface of the cap, which is positioned to sealingly engage the upper annular end of the bottle neck portion. The flexible gasket closely conforms to minor variations in the dimensional tolerances of the upper annular end of the bottle neck portion, thereby providing a liquid-impervious seal therebetween. However, repeated over-tightening of the cap on the bottle neck portion oftentimes results in plastic deformation of the sealing gasket, thereby inhibiting the sealing gasket to closely conform to variations in the dimensional tolerances of the upper annular end of the bottle neck portion. Thus, leakage oftentimes occurs notwithstanding the desired sealing engagement between the cap sealing gasket and the bottle neck portion.
It is therefore desirable to provide a container for storing and dispensing liquid contents therefrom, wherein leakage of the liquid contents from the container is inhibited.